Jaguars Bet Big on Jerry Porter: Good, Bad or Just Plain Ugly?

Jacksonville quarterback David Garrard may not be without a decent wide receiver for much longer. The team has decided to pick up Jerry Porter, a former Oakland Raider, in free agency.

Porter, whose 2007 season proved a bad combination of team rule violations and arguments with Al Davis, has mostly fallen off the radar of late. In the past three seasons he's had a mediocre run.

Although he possesses big play ability and decent speed, he was unable to turn two near 1000-yard seasons in Oakland into pay dirt.

Whether or not he will be able to assist Jacksonville's sub-par receiving corps remains to be seen, but he will provide a much needed veteran presence at the position. The Jaguars have lacked this presence ever since star wide receiver Jimmy Smith retired.

The Jaguars drafted Matt Jones and Ernest Wilford to be their wide receivers of the future. However, neither Jones nor Wilford were able to produce, and Wilford was released in free agency this off season.

In the 2007 draft the Jaguars picked up John Broussard, a small, fast receiver with deep play ability.

Broussard did not turn out to be quite what Coach Del Rio was looking for, however, scoring only one touchdown and gaining 126 yards in his rookie season.

Reggie Williams, Jacksonville's receiving leader, set a single season team record with ten touchdowns, but only managed to accumulate 629 yards.

Williams, who is still currently part of the Jaguars' roster, figures to keep the No. 2 slot beside Porter come next season.

He could face some serious competition, however, from former Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Troy Williamson. Williamson was touted to be the next Randy Moss coming out of college, but he failed to live up to those high expectations.

Overall, the Jaguars' current situation is precarious.

If Jerry Porter doesn't show he can do what he did four years ago in Oakland, the Jaguars will have lost the $10 million guaranteed in his contract.

If he does show that he can be a legitimate threat and a No. 1 receiver, then the Jaguars will most likely become a true force to be reckoned with in the AFC.